Mrs. Jeffries Wins the Prize (Mrs. Jeffries #34) by Emily Brightwell

There is a reason the Victorian Mystery series is a New York Times bestseller - Mrs. Jeffries! Some characters just warm my heart and this is one. I was thrilled to see the newest part in the series, Mrs. Jeffries Wins the Prize (Mrs. Jeffries #34) by Emily Brightwell. Read on and find out why at part 34 this series is still going strong.

From the back of the book:

Mrs. Jeffries is back in the New York Times bestselling Victorian series, perfect for fans of Downton Abbey.

NIPPED IN THE BUD

The ladies of the Mayfair Orchid and Exotic Plant Society are known for a bit of friendly rivalry, but the backstabbing has never been literal—until now. When Hiram Filmore, an orchid hunter and supplier, is found dead in Mrs. Helena Rayburn’s conservatory, Inspector Witherspoon is called in to weed out a murderer.

When it comes out that Mrs. Rayburn and her flowery friends knew each other from long ago, Mrs. Jeffries begins to suspect that there’s more to unearth about this case than meets the eye. Now she, along with the rest of Inspector Witherspoon’s household and friends, will have to dig up the past to figure out which gardening gentlewoman had a grudge worth killing for...

A Mrs. Jeffries Mystery

She keeps house for Inspector Witherspoon . . . and keeps him on his toes. Everyone’s awed by his Scotland Yard successes—but they don’t know about his secret weapon. No matter how messy the murder or how dirty the deed, Mrs. Jeffries’ polished detection skills are up to the task . . . proving that behind every great man there’s a woman—and that a crimesolver’s work is never done.

My thoughts:

I was of course thrilled to see all of my favorite characters. This series has some the best, most well developed characters in cozies. Even the new introductions are always awesome. The interactions and motivations are well plotted and played out. It all feels natural and real, making it come to life in my mind.

The mystery had enough clues that it could be solved and fairly early, but I should note that there were enough suspects and reasonable doubt that while I was right, I was on the fence with my guess most of the way. That made for a fun ride. 

You will be able to jump in here without needing to read the other parts. However, if you like a charming, well plotted, clue based cozy I bet you will want to read some of the other parts too.

Take some time to browse the other great mysteries available from Berkley Prime Crime. While you are there, you can sign up for the newsletter so you never miss a new release. I must warn you though, after browsing my wish list is longer than I could probably read. You can also connect with them on Twitter where you can happen across a fun giveaway as well. 

Disclosure: I may receive products in exchange for an honest review. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I personally believe will be good for my readers.